With All His Heart
by roseinmisery13
Summary: Marius is worried when Cosette becomes ill. Things look up when he realizes its because she's with child. But when her health really does take a turn for the worst, their world turns upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Marius awoke, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It was still dark; a quiet morning, cool but just beginning to show signs of spring. He stretched his arms then, becoming fully aware of the small warm body next to him. Cosette. She was curled up into him like a kitten, snuggling into his warmth. Her soft blonde locks cascaded down her shoulders, the creamy skin from her chest peeking through the pale yellow fountain. Marius smiled then, seeing how adorably vulnerable she looked. He rolled out of bed, his feet hitting the cold floor.

"Marius?" Marius turned upon hearing the sweet voice of his wife. "Yes, dear? I've got to get dressed for work." Cosette yawned then, and smiled mischievously, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't think so monsieur, not if I have my way." She began placing kisses down his neck, his back. "Really Cosette," Marius protested. "I have to get ready for work!" By this time she was nibbling his ear playfully. "Madame, I am afraid you have me wrapped around your little finger. But, my darling, I am afraid you must let me go, so that I can go to work." "Oh, monsieur," Cosette said, faking a pout, "You are no fun!" And with one last kiss, she let him go. "I'll go make you some tea!" And then she was gone; his little ray of sunshine had bounded down the stairs.

Marius sighed as he stood up, a look of concern washing over his face as he saw Cosette's petite frame leave the room. She had not been well lately, he knew she'd be getting sick in the next hour, making him tea downstairs to hide her upstairs vomiting. He'd noticed her weight dropping, the bags under her eyes, the heat her body would omit now, quite often, obviously a fever. Much of this he only knew from Nicolette telling him. Cosette was clearly trying to hide this from him, but Marius simply couldn't understand why.

He began sleepily stumbling down the stairs, the scent of black tea filling his nose. "Cosette, darling, why don't you go back to bed?" Marius asked, nuzzling into her neck. "Really, Marius, I'm fine. I'm going to go set out your clothes, alright?" Once again, Marius watched his wife leave him, half running, and she knew she was going to be sick. It was then, he decided, he would be demanding an answer that night. He was simply too afraid to lose the one person left that he loved. With all his heart


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Marius arrived late from work that night. He had been working on a particularly rough case; a case where both sides seemed to be in the wrong. He set down his stack of papers on the side table in the armoire, removing his hat and coat. Marius' attempts of entering the house quietly were thwarted however, when one of the law books in his arms fell to the floor with a loud thud. It was then he heard the soft little whimper of Cosette, in her sleep. She was on the couch, a book on her chest, showing her failed attempt at waiting for Marius' arrival home from work.

Marius went over to his wife, who was snuggled into a blanket on the loveseat in front of the fire. "Oh, Cosette. How worried you make me," he murmured to himself as he brushed her hair back from her face. She mumbled in her sleep, snuggling deeper into the blanket. In one swift movement, Marius had her in his arms, bridal style as he ascended up the stairs to the bedroom.

Once he had deposited her onto the bed, he began to undress, thinking of how he hadn't had a chance to ask Nicolette about Cosette's health that day, how his case was difficult, all those things that ailed his life. Suddenly, he was brought out of his thinking. "Marius? I waited for you! You should have woken me." "Cosette." Marius said sternly. "Mmmhmm? What's the matter? You sound terribly stern!" Cosette said this jokingly, as if he was going to ask her a very trivial question. Marius decided then, that the best way of going about his task was to be straightforward. "Cosette, I need to know what's the matter with you. You're ill all the time and much too thin, I feel your fevers at night…..I'm worried about you!"

Cosette looked down then, in a rather ashamed manner. "Marius…I wasn't going to tell you until I knew everything was all right." He looked at her inquisitively, completely confused. Suddenly, she blurted out two words that changed his life: "I'm pregnant!" "You're what! Cosette! What!" "Oh, Marius I didn't mean to worry you, but I wanted to keep it a secret a little longer but then you got worried just now and I'm sorry if I sprung this on you but-" He had placed his finger over her lips. "Cosette. I am overjoyed." Marius pulled her into a tight embrace, then kissed her forehead. Cosette seemed satisfied with his reaction and placed her small hand over her lips to cover her yawn. "Well I'll see you in the morning then?" "Yes, of course dear." She gave him one last smile before she snuggled down into the covers, almost appearing to fall asleep before she hit the pillow.

Marius sat on the bed completely stunned. Too many emotions were running through his head. He was going to be a father for Christ's sake! How was he going to be a father if he never had one? Would Cosette be healthy again? Marius knew she was usually healthy, but always small from the malnutrition of her childhood. And at that moment he realized something, something that would simply not leave his mind. His mother had died in childbirth.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Cosette's eyes fluttered open to a grey, rainy morning. She sat up abruptly, however, when she realized Marius wasn't in bed with her. She looked back and forth, realizing that he wasn't in the bathroom, and she didn't hear him in the kitchen. Cosette looked down on the pillow next to her, noticing a note in Marius' handwriting:

_Dearest Cosette,_

_You looked so terribly peaceful that I couldn't stand to wake you. There's tea waiting for you downstairs._

_Much love ma Cherie,_

_Marius_

She sighed, "Of course he's going to be all nervous about this now." Cosette new she was having a hard time with her pregnancy. The doctor had told her so a couple weeks ago when she was first suspecting her situation. "You're clearly a tad weaker than normal, and the sickness is quite heightened. Madame Pontmercy, the best I can tell you this early on is to simply take good care of yourself." And she'd been trying! She took less walks in the afternoon and didn't help Nicolette around the house near as much, but she still felt absolutely awful. Of course, she didn't know what else she could really do. Women always felt awful their first few months, right?

Cosette placed her head in her hands, and sighed. She seated herself on the window seat and leaned her head upon the window. Her symptoms were severe, yes, but Marius didn't know that. It was exhausting hiding how terrible she felt from her husband. Always trying to stay giggling and energetic, for she knew the minute she even mentioned feeling off Marius would be sending her either to that dreadfully unhelpful doctor or tucking her into bed like a mother with a sick child.

As Cosette was thinking this, Marius was leaving work for an appointment. He was headed to the physician. The thought of his mother's death was looming over him, and he simply had to know if…he had somehow passed it on. "Mr. Pontmercy? Into my office please." Marius followed the tall man into the dark (and to be honest, rather intimidating room. "Now. What can I help you with?" "Umm….my wife is…..has recently become….well _is…._with child." "Yes, I had an appointment with her a couple weeks ago, I hope she's feeling better? I was quite concerned with her case." "Oh…umm…why? Is she…alright?" Marius felt his heartbeat quicken. How come she hadn't said anything? Why on earth would she keep this from him? "Well, , I can't predict the future, but all I can say is I hope so." "Doctor, what I really came to ask is if…that is to say, is it possible that a man could pass on something like this to his wife?" "So what I presume you're asking is that is it your fault Cosette is abnormally ill?" "Yes." "I wouldn't think so, but one can never really be sure about the way things are passed down." "Oh…well. Thank you for your time doctor, I won't keep you any longer." "Good day to you, Pontmercy." And with a curt nod, Marius exited the room.

He stepped outside again, only to discover it was now storming. Storming to match his internal fire. How long did Cosette think she could keep this from him? Was she this secretive about everything and he just didn't know it? And why in God's name would she think it was perfectly alright to not tell him! He told her everything, sometimes even more than was appropriate about his cases, happenings at the law firm. He quickened his pace as he neared the house. Marius fully intended on having a talking to Cosette about this. She was his wife! He had complete right to now about the affairs of her health and his child's!

"Cosette!" Marius boomed as he entered the house, talking off his hat and overcoat quite vigorously. She appeared in the stairwell, looking concerned. "Yes, darling. What ever is the matter?" "Whatever is the matter? You deciding to keep secrets from me that is the matter! What, you thought I shouldn't know you're sick? You thought it didn't matter that something is wrong with not just you but possibly the baby too?" "Marius I only did that-" "There is no excuse for hiding things like that! This is serious! Good God Cosette what on earth were you thinking!" His voice had grown into quite a thunderous shout, and it was only then that he noticed the tears welling up in her enormous blue eyes. "M-Marius, I'm ever so sorry, I wasn't trying to hide it from I-I-I.." When she saw the still angry look on his face, she abruptly fled from the room, her head in her hands.

Marius sighed. He supposed that stressing her, especially in the heightened delicacy of her condition wouldn't be safe for either being the one body carried. Running his hands through his hair, he considered the best way to go about apologizing. And, as he usually reasoned, the best way was always the most straightforward.

As he climbed the stairs, the volume of Cosette's sobs increased, pulling at his heartstrings almost the instant the sound came into contact with his ears. Marius knocked on their bedroom door, only to hear the sobs snap abruptly into the best control she could muster. "Cosette, darling, I'm terribly sorry. Please, please let me in." It took a solid forty five seconds before he heard the rustling of her skirts glide across the room and open the door. When he saw his angel's red, tear-stained face he simply couldn't stand to be angry with her any longer. She was wrapped up in his arms in a second, and she nuzzled his neck and let out choruses of "I'm so sorry…" Marius hushed her. "Don't apologize, _ma Cherie_, I never should've yelled at you like that. Please forgive me." " I do, Marius, of course I do, and I'm sorry I kept anything from you…but if you don't mind me asking how was it you found out?" "I went to the doctor." "Why, what's the matter?" "I wanted to make sure you were alright." "Oh, Marius," she said flinging herself so her head was in his lap. "I'm so sorry I never told you! I just didn't want to worry you because I know how concerned you get with even the littlest things and you were working and stressed so I couldn't tell you something that would-" Marius stopped her with a warm but quick kiss. "Cosette! Shhh. All is forgiven, _Cherie!_" "Really Marius?" she asked, her eyes wide, "Really, darling." Marius wrapped her back up in his arms, nestling his face in her hair. "How about we go down and get some tea?" Cosette sniffled. "Alright."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"And clearly the law states that felony, under all circumstances and conditions is completely inappropriate, therefore no exceptions can be made." Marius' pen tapped his knee uncomfortably under the large wooden desk seated in the middle of the conference room of the Associés au Droit de la Boulevardes Grands. He had always been eager to get back home from work, but now he had a particular sense of urgency. Over the past few weeks, Cosette's condition had worsened. Her stomach grew rounder, but the rest of her began to wither. Her appetite was failing, and any attempt at dining ended in her vomiting. The fevers had been particularly more severe, sometimes resulting in delirium. But still, his sweet little darling soldiered on, constantly insisting she was with child, not an invalid! Marius forced her to stay in bed in the mornings, insisting she needed the extra rest, but he was always unsurprised to find her dressed and often attempting to be quite active when he arrived home.

"So with that, gentlemen, you are dismissed." Marius quickly gathered his papers, hastily stuffing them into his briefcase and raced out the door, into the hall, and out to the streets of Paris. When he arrived home, he was shocked that he didn't find Cosette knitting by the fireplace, as she usually was when he came home. "Cosette? I'm home!" He listened for a moment before he heard the sound he most dreaded when he returned to his home. The incessant and hurried chatter of his wife. Nicolette raced down the stairs just as he was running up. "Nicolette! Is she all right? How long has this been?" "Since ten o'clock! She was walking through her garden and she fainted and-" "She fainted? Was she alright? Why didn't anyone come tell me?" "She was not injured, monsieur, she just asked me to bring her inside." "And why didn't anyone come get me?" "She told me not to tell you! She just asked me to bring her inside and lay her down!" Marius had had enough of this bumbling maid. She didn't think to come get him perhaps, when his wife was delirious with fever and probably couldn't form a coherent sentence? "Nicolette get Dr. Joulet now!" After the command, Marius had flown up the stairs, determined to comfort his sweetheart as best he could.

When he reached her room, she was crying hysterically. Her lips were white, and her golden hair spread about the pillow. He ran to her, taking her hot body into his arms. "Shhh, Cosette, shh my love. It's alright now, I'm here, and Nicolette has gone to get the doctor, just hang on." Marius continued to whisper words of comfort as he stroked her hair. But inside, his brain felt as though it was about to explode. He couldn't lose Cosette! She was all he had left! He had seen his friends, Cosette's father, his grandfather, most everyone he had loved, die. And in all these times, Cosette had been his angel. She had brought him out of these miseries, lifted him out of his depression and grief. He simply could not lose her.

Nicolette knocked not even ten minutes later. "Monsieur. The doctor has arrived." "Oh, of course." Marius said, quickly and gently laying Cosette back down on the pillow. He was sent out of the room during the examination, a fifteen minutes that seemed fifteen hours to the young husband. "Monsieur Pontmercy." "Yes!" "She should be fine as long as her fever goes down." "Excuse me for being so frank…but whatever is the matter with her." Marius said this in a far more desperate tone than he intended. "To be completely honest, I think she is ill on top of her current condition, making both especially dangerous to her." "Well will she be alright?" "As of now, I am putting her on bedrest." "May I go see her?" "She's sleeping now, but yes. Please, do not hesitate to call on me if complications arise."

Marius entered the room, finding his wife curled up and asleep. The color was out of her cheeks, but she looked better than just twenty minutes prior. He sat on the edge of the bed and began stroking her cheek. "Marius?" "Shhh, _Cherie_. You're fine now. Just rest." "Is my baby alright?" she asked sleepily. "Yes, Cosette. I wouldn't let anything happen to either of you." Her arms reached out blindly for him to hold her. He wrapped her up in his arms, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Marius." "I love you, Cosette.

It had been a few weeks since the incident. Cosette's health was improving with bedrest, she still had episodes of feverishness and vomiting, but the color had come back to her cheeks and she had gained a bit of weight. Marius made sure she stayed restful constantly bringing her little things to entertain her. One day he brought her knew embroidery thread, another time he got her a lapbook of poetry. If she begged him, he would occasionally help her walk out to the garden so she could be outside.

On one of these days Marius had given in to Cosette's pleadings to go outside, the elephant in the room was brought up. "Marius I think we should talk about a name for the baby." "I thought you wanted to wait until it was born." "Marius, I've been thinking…." "What? I think it's a perfectly fine idea. Lots of families do it that way." "Yes, but I think its always good to think…ahead. You know, dear, prepare for any possible situations." We _are_ prepared. We are most certainly prepared for any and all situations!" She let go of his arm and squeezed his hand. "Marius. I know that I'm not well. And we simply must be honest with each other. Now please, I'd like to have some say in what this child is named." Marius sighed. He couldn't let himself fly off the handle like last time. "I'm assuming Jean if it is a boy?" She smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cosette was in her fourth month of pregnancy. Her health had not improved, but it had not regressed, either. It was during this time that the law firm had chosen Marius for a one month case in Toulouse. Marius, of course, tried desperately to get out of the engagement, but when his exasperated boss gave him the ultimatum of the Toulouse trip or his job, Marius quit trying.

It was a week before Marius would depart, and the couple was cuddling in bed one night. "I'm going to miss you both so much." Marius said, running his hand across her swollen abdomen. "Me too. But it's only for four weeks! You'll be back home before you know it." She snuggled into him, nuzzling her head into his neck. "Marius?" "Yes, darling." "Do you ever think about…being parents?" "Of course I do, love! We are having a baby after all." She looked up from her nest in his arms, a concerned expression on his face. "No. I mean do you ever think about if we're going to be good parents. I mean, I had Papa of course, but neither of us had mothers."

Marius thought about what he would say. She was sweet and gentle and patient. Of course, Cosette would be a perfect mother. But what about him? His relationship with his father had been extremely complicated. And more than that, his personality simply didn't seem to fit the mold of a father. He was hotheaded and boring, not sweet and youthful like his wife.

"Cosette. I know that you'll be a wonderful mother." "Really, Marius?" "Really, you're the kindest person I know." She smiled. "You'll be a wonderful father." "Thank you love. How about all three of us get some rest." He kissed her forehead and blew out the candle.

"I don't want you to go!" "I don't want to go either darling, but I have to. I would write, but by the time my letter arrived I would be back home." She hugged him close to her. He couldn't help but think that if something happened to her while he was gone, if her fever didn't go down this time, or if her health declined in his absence…his heart, his soul felt heavy with premeditated guilt. "Cosette." "Yes, darling?" "Promise me, that while I'm gone you'll take care of yourself." "Of course Marius. And you must promise to do the same." She said, kissing him lightly on the check. "And Cosette?" "Hmm?" "If anything happens. Anything serious at all, you must send for me." "But you-" He placed his fingers on her lips. "Promise." "All right I promise." He walked over to the couch and she trailed behind him, taking a seat on his lap. Marius cradled her closed to his chest, taking in the scent of lilacs that he would miss so much. "I don't know what I'll do without you." She looked up at him. "Oh really Marius, you know I'll miss you. But it's only for a month!" The couple heard the fiacre coming down the road, and they knew it was time for Marius to depart.

As he was riding away, he saw the warm lights of the Marais get smaller and smaller. He felt safe leaving his family there. It appeared especially cozy in the light of the sunrise. Marius knew that he could not continue to worry about Cosette the way he was; he would merely distract himself from his case and it certainly wouldn't help his wife. He would only be gone two weeks, what could happen?

Cosette was peeking out the window, watching the fiacre carry Marius away. She frowned. Toulouse was far from Paris. It was very early in the morning, about four o'clock. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without her husband's warmth. Yawning, she turned from the window, seating herself on the beige loveseat. Bile began to rise to her throat. _I thought this was supposed to go away after last month_, she thought. Cosette ran to the nearest place she could appropriately empty her stomach. The kitchen.

"Oh dear God!" she moaned, not to take his name in vain, but in true despair. She could barely eat besides bread and broth! There couldn't possibly be anything left in her stomach. When she was finally finished, she sat back on the table in the middle of the kitchen. And she sobbed. She wanted Marius. His comforting warm embrace and firm chest. She wanted to feel his soft breath in her ear telling her she was all right. Should she send for the physician? She couldn't very well send for someone at four in the morning! The blood felt like it was rushing out of her head. Her hands began to shake. Very slowly, she made her way from the kitchen back into the parlor. The last thing she saw was the fire cackling away and then everything went black.

Light was penetrating her eyelids. "Marius. I want Marius." Nicolette's voice came through the ringing in her ears. "He's not here darling. I sent for the doctor. Just hang on." Cosette felt a cool cloth running over her head. "Please, Nicolette. Please go get Marius." "He's been sent for. But he's all the way in Toulouse. She could feel tears beginning to run down her face but she couldn't stop them. Everything sounded fuzzy. She couldn't think straight. She knew she had a fever, but she couldn't make sense of anything else. The tears ran faster, where was Marius? She so desperately wanted her husband, not realizing why he wasn't there.

It had been three weeks. Marius was completely fed up with his case. There was absolutely nothing that could prove the alleged fraud was true. He was sitting in the courtroom trying to listen to the judge drone on about the proper protocol in this sort of situation. Suddenly, a black caped figure burst through the courtroom doors. He seemed breathless, and he ran down the aisle to the front. Marius had turned, just as the rest of the room had, and then realized the man was coming towards him. As he approached, Marius stood. "It was sent on rush, monsieur! An emergency!" He shoved a piece of paper at the young lawyer, which was accepted with shaking hands.

_Marius,_

_ I am terribly sorry to bother you, but Cosette has fallen extremely ill. Please hurry home when you can._

_Nicolette._

He only read the first sentence before he had slipped on his coat and ran out of the room. The echoes of "Monsieur Pontmercy!" and "You cannot simply leave!" were deaf to his ears. All he could think of was his wife. Marius quickly found a fiacre, and demanded it dive straight to Paris. The driver protested of course to which Marius responded with a forceful, "Just Drive!"

It was four days later when Marius arrived back at the Marais. His luggage would be arriving later; he hadn't taken time to pack. He quickly flung the doors of his home open. "Cosette? Nicolette?" Racing up the stairs, he followed the sound of steps, finding them to be Nicolette's in the guest room.

"Cosette." He whispered her name, not believing what he saw. His youthful, healthy wife, whom he had left improving in health with color in her cheeks, looked worse than he had ever seen her before. Sunken cheeks and drained color, chest bones peeking through the top of her chemise, it had not just pulled, but yanked, strained, his heartstrings.

Her eyes fluttered open then. "Marius. You're here." She pulled some semblance of a smile and closed her eyes again. He walked over to her, pulling a chair from a corner up to her side. "I'm sorry I sent for you." "No, no, darling. Of course not," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "I was delirious, I didn't know what I was talking about. I hope I didn't ruin your case, I'm so sorry!" Marius shook his head. Yes, his case probably was ruined, but she was far more important. "No, darling, don't be sorry. Everything's fine." Nicolette knocked. "Monsieur Pontmercy? A word?"

Marius stared blankly at Nicolette. He couldn't process…nor believe what she had just said. The doctor believed this would kill her. This baby would kill her. Not now, probably when or after she gave birth. It simply couldn't happen. He couldn't let it happen. And if this doctor thought that simply letting Cosette die was his plan, Marius would simply have to find another doctor.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was October. Cosette was a bit better, through a rather terrible process of trial and error it was discovered that plain bread and vegetable broth agreed with her sensitive stomach. Marius hadn't found a new doctor. He had looked, but he hadn't found a physician who had given him a guarantee that they could ensure Cosette's life. Marius, although not accepting this, had made a promise with himself that these would be the best four months of he and Cosette's marriage. He had been excused from his incident in Toulouse, and it was agreed that he would have reduced hours for the next six months to take care of his family matters.

The couple was lying in bed. Cosette hadn't been able to sleep and Marius had taken it upon himself to stay up with her. It was about two o'clock in the morning. The couple was cuddled together against the cold; her head was on his chest, his arms were wrapped around her: one around her shoulders and his hand holding hers. "I think it'll be a girl," she said, looking up at him and smiling. "Mhmmm." "And I want her to look like you." "Mhmmm." "And I'm having an affair with Monsieur DeLiese." "WHAT?" She began giggling uncontrollably. "Well I had to get your attention somehow!" "By telling me that you're having an affair?" "If our baby didn't get your attention, I knew I'd have to think of _something _creative." He kissed the top of her head. "I don't care what it is or who it looks like. I will love it no matter what. Now try, for all three of us, to get some sleep." She nuzzled her head his neck and within minutes the insomnia that had plagued her dissipated.

"Pontmercy!" Marius turned, slightly reluctantly. He had finished a rather long day and was eager to return home to his wife (who was doing markedly better). He saw his fellow lawyer, Luc DeLalonde running toward him. They had entered the firm at the same time, and although they weren't as close as Marius was with the Les Amis, he knew DeLalonde enough to call him a friend. "Monsieur! How are you?" Marius asked, eager for he had not seen the young man for a while. "Fine, fine. I should be asking you the same question! I heard about your….wife. Terribly sorry." "Oh, uhh, thank you." Marius said, beginning to feel rather uncomfortable. "How would you like to join a couple of us for some drinks? Nothing wild of course, just a quick spot over at the pub." "I should get home…" "Come on Marius, we miss you. We haven't seen you, talked to you, in ages, mate. Just one round." Marius thought for a minute. Cosette was doing better, she hadn't had a fever in ages. And Marius could certainly use a night out with his coworkers. "One round wouldn't hurt," Marius said, peering up at the firm's clock.

Cosette was sitting on the sofa in the parlor, embroidering yellow baby socks she had knitted. She was eager for her husband to come home; she hadn't been well enough for her friends to come over so Marius acted as her only friend as of late. There was a sharp knock on the door. "He must have forgotten his key," she murmured. She very slowly and carefully stood from the sofa and went to open the front door. But when the door was opened, Marius wasn't there. A burly police officer stood where her husband should be. "Are you the daughter of Valjean?" "Why, yes, yes I am. Whatever is the matter?" "Your father's body….his grave…dug up and gone."

Marius was on his way home somewhat later than he had anticipated. He wasn't worried, Cosette had been doing markedly better, perhaps she'd even invited a friend over for dinner in his absence. He turned his key in the door of his home and opened the great wooden mass. What he saw wasn't in the least what he expected. Men in uniforms, officers of the law, three of them, stood in his parlor surrounding his wife on the sofa. "What's going on?" he thundered. Cosette's head turned then, showing to him her frightened and tearstained face. "Oh, Marius, Papa's grave…it's been dug up…his body is gone!" Marius stood motionless for a solid two minutes. "Er…Marius?" He snapped back to reality, "Ex-excuse me, what?" "Oh, Marius please don't make me say it again," she said, putting her head in her hands. He gained enough sense to finally make his way across the parlor and over to his wife. An police offer spoke. "Monsieur Pontmercy, we have the information we need. We are terribly sorry for the intrusion. We will be contacting you if we have any information, though I must warn you, these cases are often unsolved. Medical students…..can never quite to find themselves enough bodies these days…" Marius shook the man's hand. "Thank you officer. For your time."

When the men left, Marius turned his attention back to Cosette. She was still sitting on the loveseat, head in hands. "Cosette… I didn't mean to…not be here." There was a silent pause, in which neither person moved. "It's fine, Marius." When she looked up, he could tell the stress had been exactly what her already weak system _didn't _need. Her eyes had the feverish, glossy look he had come to know. "Cosette…" "Marius, I'm fine." And with that, she, albeit rather slowly, made her way upstairs. The last noise he heard was the closing of a door.

"Damn, Marius. _Damn, Damn, Damn."_ He had gone out for one night. And not really gone out, but he had stayed late. And what had happened? His wife had had to handle a disturbing blow, all alone. He sat on the loveseat Cosette had sat on. Her father's body, stolen. Gone. And the police had come to the house. And she had been alone. He was lucky they had been gentlemen, the least that would happen would be that she had been terrified. When he got upstairs, she wasn't in bed, she had taken refuge in the guest room.

Marius couldn't sleep that night. Just over a year ago he had been annoyed at Courfeyac's presence in their bedroom. Now, he simply couldn't find a way to sleep alone. He was simply staring at the ceiling. He was a terrible husband. He had let his wife down. And while she was sick at that! And to be quite technical, he had let down his child as well!

Cosette couldn't sleep. The bed was empty, cold. She so desperately wanted his warmth and comfort. Her father's body was gone. Possibly to never be recovered. She knew his spirit was at rest. She knew he was with God. But she didn't understand how a person could be so cruel. Her tears were falling uncontrollably.

It was two in the morning. And neither spouse had slept. Cosette continued to weep, albeit much lighter. At two oh three, she heard floorboards creak. She wasn't sure if it was her sleepy imagination or if it was Marius. She desperately hoped it was the latter, but she was far too exhausted to sit up to look. Hot breath tickled her ear. "I'm sorry love. Let's be over with this argument, shall we?" Cosette simply nodded. Strong arms circled around her, one just under her breast and another curving protectively just above her head. Their fight was over


End file.
